The lawmakers in Britain’s House of Commons have a low opinion of Donald Trump, but a three-hour debate at Westminster produce no great support for banning the Republican presidential candidate from the United Kingdom.

In response to a ban-The-Donald on-line petition that drew 575,000 signatures, MP’s showered the billionaire real estate mogul with ridicule: Trump was described, by various speakers, as “a buffoon, “a demagogue” “a joke” and “an idiot.” But Tasmina Ahmed-Sheik of the Scottish National Party argued that Trump is best addressed “not with a ban but with the great British response of ridicule.”

Donald Trump: British MP’s describe Republican presidential candidate as “a buffoon,” “a demagogue”, “a joke” and “an idiot.” But the “mother of parliaments” is not of a mind to ban The Donald from the United Kingdom.” yt a (Matthew Cavanaugh/Getty Images)

A second MP from the SNP, Anne McLaughlin, noted that Trump “is the son of a Scottish immigrant. I apologize for that.”

The petition was prompted by Trump’s call for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States, which it described as “hate speech.” It qualified for parliamentary debate by collecting more than 100,000 signatures.

The home secretary has authority to ban preachers of hate from the United Kingdom. Such people as the late Kansas minister Fred Phelps Sr. (“God Hates Fags”) and Terry Jones, the Florida minister who organized burning of the Quran, have been barred from entering the country.

The “mother of parliaments” showed little mind to ban Trump. “The great danger by attacking this man is that we can fix on him a halo of victimhood,” argued Paul Flynn, an MP from the Labour Party.

But fellow Labour MP Tulip Siddiq was sympathetic to banning Trump, arguing: “I draw the line at freedom of speech when it imports a violent ideology . . . His (Trump’s) words are not comical, not funny. His words are poisonous.”

Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron has made note of Trump’s incendiary words, describing the Republican candidate’s pronouncements as “divisive, stupid and wrong.” Cameron has pointedly looked down on Trump, saying: “If he came to visit our country, I think he would unite us all against him.”

Trump has taken the petition seriously, threatening to pull his golf course investments out of Scotland should any ban be enacted.

In a statement Monday, the Trump Organization declared: “Westminster would create a dangerous precedent and send a terrible message to the world that the United Kingdom opposes free speech and has no interest in attracting inward investment.”

Sarah Malones of Trump International Golf Links said in a formal statement: “It is absurd that valuable parliamentary time is being wasted debating a matter raised as part of the petition. For the UK to consider banning someone who made a statement in America, about American boarders (sic) during an election campaign, is ridiculous.”

Trump has a history of suggesting boycotts. He called for a boycott of Macy’s after it pulled a line of Trump men’s clothing. He said Americans should stay away from Italy “if Amanda Knox is not freed.” He has threatened to boycott Scotland over offshore windfarms.

The Donald’s most famous pre-petition feud in the U.K. was with the maker of a single malt scotch. A highly regarded “Spirit of Scotland” award was given to one Michael Forbes, hero of the film “You’ve Been Trumped,” a Scottish landowner who refused to sell his coastal property for a Trump golf course. The award was sponsored by Glenfiddich scotch. Describing Forbes as a “total loser,” Trump banned Glenfiddich from his hotels and golf courses.

Trump is not a popular figure in the UK, but he can continue to travel there.

“While I think the man is crazy, while I think he has no valid points to make, I will not be the one to silence his voice,” said Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat.

Closing debate for the government, UK Immigration Minister James Brokenshire noted: “The best way to defeat nonsense like this is to engage in robust democratic debate.”